How to: Add Text to a Shape

• Sep 19, 2023
• 2 minutes to read

This topic describes how to add text to a shape.

Create a Text Box

Call the ShapeCollection.AddTextBox method to create a text box.

The code sample below shows how to insert, rotate and color a text box:

C#

Shape textBox = worksheet.Shapes.AddTextBox(50, 120, 500, 100, "Spreadsheet");
textBox.Fill.SetSolidFill(Color.PowderBlue);
textBox.Rotation = 30;

VB.NET

Dim textBox As Shape = worksheet.Shapes.AddTextBox(50, 120, 500, 100, "Spreadsheet")
textBox.Fill.SetSolidFill(Color.PowderBlue)
textBox.Rotation = 30

Tip

You can change the text box’s geometry type by setting the ShapeGeometry.Preset property to one of the ShapeGeometryPreset values.

Add Text to an Existing Shape

The table below lists API members used to add and format shape text:

Member	Description
Shape.ShapeText	Returns shape text options.
ShapeText.Characters	Returns a ShapeTextRange object that specifies a text range within a shape.
ShapeTextRange.Text	Defines shape text.
ShapeText.Formula	Allows you to link shape text to a cell.
ShapeTextRange.AddBefore	Adds a new text range before the current range.
ShapeTextRange.AddAfter	Adds a new text range after the current range.
ShapeTextRange.Font	Allows you to change font attributes for a shape text range.
ShapeTextRange.ParagraphFormat	Allows you to specify paragraph options for a shape text range.
ShapeText.VerticalAnchor	Specifies the vertical alignment for shape text.
ShapeText.HorizontalAnchor	Specifies the horizontal alignment for shape text.

The code sample below creates and formats shape text to look as it does on the image below.

C#

ShapeText shapeText = shape.ShapeText;

// Create a text range.
ShapeTextRange range = shapeText.Characters();

// Specify the shape's text.
range.Text = "Shape ";

// Set font properties.
range.Font.Bold = true;
range.Font.Color = Color.YellowGreen;

// Add a new text range after the existing text
// and specify its font attributes.         
ShapeTextRange range2 = range.AddAfter("Text");
range2.Font.Italic = true;
range2.Font.Name = "Arial";
range2.Font.Color = Color.BurlyWood;

// Define the text's vertical and horizontal alignment.
shapeText.VerticalAnchor = ShapeTextVerticalAnchorType.Center;
shapeText.HorizontalAnchor = ShapeTextHorizontalAnchorType.Center;

VB.NET

Dim shapeText As ShapeText = shape.ShapeText

' Create a text range.
Dim range As ShapeTextRange = shapeText.Characters()

' Specify the shape's text.
range.Text = "Shape "

' Set font properties.
range.Font.Bold = True
range.Font.Color = Color.YellowGreen

' Add a new text range after the existing text
' and specify its font attributes.  
Dim range2 As ShapeTextRange = range.AddAfter("Text")
range2.Font.Italic = True
range2.Font.Name = "Arial"
range2.Font.Color = Color.BurlyWood

' Define the text's vertical and horizontal alignment.
shapeText.VerticalAnchor = ShapeTextVerticalAnchorType.Center
shapeText.HorizontalAnchor = ShapeTextHorizontalAnchorType.Center